Biochemists and Biophysicists

Median salary

$127,410

Average salary

$129,840

Employment

33,830

Projected growth

5.8% growth

Annual openings

2,900

Typical entry education

Doctoral or professional degree

What Biochemists and Biophysicists Do

Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: 1.7%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 5 of 5

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.
Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Biologyimportance 4.7/5
Chemistryimportance 4.3/5
Mathematicsimportance 4.3/5
English Languageimportance 4.3/5
Physicsimportance 4.0/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.7/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.5/5
Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.4/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

E-Mail4.8/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.8/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.4/5
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.3/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Physicists91% skill match
Materials Engineers90% skill match
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists90% skill match
Agricultural Engineers89% skill match
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers89% skill match
Commercial and Industrial Designers89% skill match
Desktop Publishers88% skill match
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary88% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Complex Problem Solvingimportance 4.1/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 4.0/5
Instructingimportance 3.6/5
Systems Analysisimportance 3.4/5
Operations Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Systems Evaluationimportance 3.1/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
Coordinationimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

In-Demand Technologies

Electronic lab notebook software

Other Software Used

3D graphics software
Accelrys Cerius2
Accelrys FELIX
Accelrys Insight II
Accelrys QAUNTA
Analysis and building software
Assisted model building with energy refinement AMBER
AutoQuant AutoDeblur

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Intellectual Curiosity
Attention to Detail
Innovation
Dependability
Integrity
Achievement Orientation
Initiative

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

InvestigativeHigh
RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
ArtisticLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow

Specific Interests

A more detailed breakdown of this occupation’s interest profile, per O*NET.

Military Backgrounds That Lead Here

Military occupations commonly matched to this career, per the DMDC Military Crosswalk.

Biochemistry (71B)Army
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T1C)Air Force
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T3C)Air Force
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T4C)Air Force
Biochemist (0840)Navy
Physiologist (0848)Navy
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T1C)Space Force
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T3C)Space Force
Biomedical Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry (43T4C)Space Force

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where biochemists and biophysicists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH22.73× national avg
2Worcester, MA13.90× national avg
3Trenton-Princeton, NJ9.92× national avg
4Boulder, CO9.34× national avg
5Portland-South Portland, ME6.03× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

Medical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsLateral Move
PhysicistsLateral Move
Bioengineers and Biomedical EngineersCareer Change
Engineering Teachers, PostsecondaryCareer Change

See the full career path from Biochemists and Biophysicists →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.